Blood and Water
by isabella2004
Summary: As they face the prospect of losing the saloon, Hank and Emma Jane try everything they can to save it. Sequel to 'Trying to Catch Your Heart.' CHAPTER 5 NOW UP!
1. Chapter 1

**Sorry guys, but Choice or Chance wasn't really doing it for me any more, so I've started again if you like. This story is set about six months after Trying To Catch Your Heart. I hope you like it and you'll review. I'm keeping Choice or Chance up, as you never know I might finish it as an alternative one day, but for now it is on hiatus.**

**As usual, I don't own any characters except original ones, and in particular, I don't own the concepts in this story which flow from the DQMW episode 'The Campaign' (?) or any of the dialogue from that episode.**

**Enjoy!**

It was the sunlight coming through the bedroom window that woke Emma Jane Lawson. As the first rays hit her face, she screwed her eyes up tighter and turned her head away, but as they continued to spread across the bed, she resigned herself to morning and gingerly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the crack on the bedroom ceiling and her first thought was to get it fixed as soon as possible. Then she looked to her right, expecting to see Hank lying beside her, only to find the bed empty. Strangely fearful, she glanced quickly towards the Moses basket at the far end of the room and was relieved to be able to make out the shape of her son lying sleeping. Quietly, so as not to wake him, she climbed out of the bed and padded across the floor to gaze down at him. He was lying with his fists at either side of his face, ready to take on the world. Lovingly, she stroked the thin wisps of hair on his head and marvelled at how perfect he really was.

At that moment, the bedroom door opened and Hank appeared holding a tray. "What ya doin' up?" he asked, "was bringin' ya breakfast in bed."

Emma Jane grinned, "That's very thoughtful of you. Dutifully, she hurried back over to the bed and climbed back in, so that he could put the tray on her lap. Looking down she saw eggs, just the way she liked them, bacon and coffee. Plus, there was also a rose in a glass. Smelling it, she looked up at him, "Did I miss a special occasion?"

"Nope," he said, climbing on the bed beside her, "just wanted to spoil ya, that's all."

She moved the tray off of her lap and turned so she was facing him, "You don't have to keep doing things like this you know. I'm not about to take to my heels and run off."

"I know," he replied, but his tone was unconvincing.

"Seriously, I'm not." She took his face in her hands and kissed him gently, "since we've been back, I've been unable to think of a single reason why I wanted to leave." They both knew she was stretching the truth slightly, but it was better than nothing. "Besides," she took a mouthful of coffee, "I'm beginning to think that Doctor O'Neil doesn't know what he's talking about. Will's been perfectly fine since we brought him back. I think the Colorado air has done him a power of good."

"P'raps yer right," Hank walked over to the basket and looked down at the baby, "looks healthy enough."

"Of course he is," she reiterated, "some people just don't know what they're talking about."

"Anyways," he turned back to her, "best go and get tidied up downstairs fore the crowds arrive. Take yer time," he gestured to her breakfast, "ain't been slavin' over a hot stove for ya to finish it in two minutes."

"I promise to savour every mouthful," she replied, watching as he left the room. She glanced over at the basket again and then looked heavenwards, "I think you were all pulling my leg," she said to no-one in particular, "there is absolutely nothing wrong with him."

SSSS

Downstairs in the bar, Hank was putting the chairs out when there was a knock at the saloon door. Drawing the lock back, he looked out and saw a well-dressed man in a suit standing looking at his pocket watch. Opening the door, Hank faced him down, "Can I help ya?"

"Mr Lawson?" the man glanced at the paper he was holding in his hand, "Joseph Newberry, Denver City Bank?" He held out his hand, "pleased to meet you."

Hank shook it suspiciously, "We're not open for another coupla hours."

Joseph Newberry laughed, "Oh I'm not here for a drink I assure you. May I come in and speak with you a moment? It's fairly important."

Hank paused and then stepped back to allow the other man in. Closing the door again, he pulled two chairs down from a table and motioned for his guest to sit down.

"Thank you," Joseph said, laying his papers on the table, "Mr Lawson, according to our records, you took out a loan with our bank on the…" he squinted at the writing, "…fourteenth of December last year."

"Yeah, I did."

"And you took out this loan against your…business," Joseph looked around.

"So?"

"Mr Lawson, when you signed for this loan, you agreed to pay back this amount each month," he showed Hank the figure, "and yet, you haven't made any repayments in the past six months."

"Things have been kinda tight," Hank said, "business ain't been as good."

"I can appreciate that," Joseph said, "However, in the banking world, we don't tend to be able to accept that explanation for non-payment. In fact, we take a very dim view of people who take out such loans only to be unable to pay them back."

"What exactly are ya tryin' to say?" Hank demanded.

"What I'm saying, Mr Lawson, is that unless you can come up with the required amount of money, then the bank will have no choice but to foreclose."

"Foreclose?"

Joseph nodded, "And that means that the ownership of your business would pass to the bank."

"Wait a Goddamn minute," Hank said, "Yer sayin' that the bank would take the saloon?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Well, how can I stop it?"

Joseph stood up and began gathering up his papers, "You have until the end of next week to come up with the money, or we will take possession of this building."

"Look," Hank stood up, "I don't just work here, I live here. My family lives here."

"You should have thought of them before you took out the loan," Joseph said, "Good day to you Mr Lawson."

Hank wanted to grab the puny little banker by his collar and yell that his family had been _exactly _who he had been thinking of when he took out the loan. When he had stopped at Denver on the way to New York to get Emma Jane back, he had made the loan to cover the cost of what he had taken from the saloon. It had seemed like the best idea at the time.

"Who was that?"

Whirling around, he saw Emma Jane coming into the bar, holding the baby in her arms.

"Just an early customer," he told her.

"For goodness sake!" she exclaimed, "Don't the men in this town have enough hours of the day to drink as it is?" she shook her head, "Victoria's got a little bit of a cold I think, so I've left her in bed. I'll call on Michaela later to see if she can take a look at her." She paused as she saw his expression. "Is everything all right?"

"Course it is," he said with fake brightness, coming over and kissing her, "Everythin's fine."

"Ok," she replied, "I'm just going to call on Grace and see if she can make Victoria some of her vegetable soup. It's her favourite. I'll take Will with me, let you have some peace to get on." With that, she stepped outside into the sunlight. Hank watched her go and then kicked the bar, hard, in frustration.

SSSS

Outside, the town was just coming alive as Emma Jane walked down the street towards Grace's Café. Across the road, Loren was opening the shutters and she stopped to greet him, "Morning Loren."

"Morning Emma Jane," he said, coming down the stairs, "how's the little one doin' today?"

"He's fine," she proudly showed him off, "getting bigger every day."

"He looks a strong healthy thing," Loren observed and was surprised when Emma Jane kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you Loren, I appreciate that," she said. "Are you going to the town meeting this afternoon?"

"You betcha," he said, "I gotta lotta things I want done."

"I'll see you there then," she wished him good day and then continued on to the café where Grace was serving breakfast.

"Mornin' Emma Jane," she greeted her.

"Morning Grace. I was wondering if you could do me a really big favour."

"What's that?"

"Victoria's a little poorly this morning and I know that she would love some of your vegetable soup, if you have any."

"For that little child, anything," Grace replied, "I'll bring some over in a little while."

"Thanks Grace."

"No problem. And how's this little one doing?" she looked down at Will, "he's mighty cute."

"I know," Emma Jane replied happily, "just like his father."

SSSS

Hank, meanwhile, was trying to work out the state of the saloon books and was getting nowhere fast. Keeping track of the figures was usually Emma Jane's job, but even her neat handwriting couldn't help him work out what all the different columns and things meant. Angrily, he threw the books onto the floor, then picked them up hurriedly, in case she came back and wondered what he was doing with them, or any of the girls came downstairs. From what he _had _managed to glean, there was no way to come up with the amount of money needed by the end of the following week, not from the saloon's takings at any rate. He thought long and hard and then it came to him. Climbing the stairs, he went into the bedroom and into the wardrobe. Feeling around under the clothes, he found what he was looking for, a small wooden box. Puling it out, he opened it and lifted out its one treasure; a gold locket.

He twisted it in his hands, the sunlight reflecting off of it, making it shine. Opening it, he looked at the pictures inside; his mother and father. Why his mother had kept the one of his father, he would never know, but he ignored it and looked only at his mother. She had been beautiful, long blonde hair like his own, and a smile that could light up a room. Emily Lawson had done the best she could by her children, but in so many ways, it just hadn't been enough.

Hank closed the locket purposefully and gripped it tightly in his hand. It was the one thing he had left of her, but it belonged in the past, and held only painful memories. His present, his future, was Emma Jane and the children and keeping a roof over all their heads had to be more important than a keepsake he could hardly bear to look at.

His mind was made up. It wouldn't fetch all the money they needed, but he would sell it and at least get something.

SSSS

"What we need is a mayor," the Reverend said.

"I nominate Loren Bray!" Jake announced.

"Aw, that's all very flattering, but what we need is someone more like…I nominate Jake Slicker for mayor!"

In her seat near the front, Emma Jane groaned. Jake as mayor? It would be like declaring martial law.

"We need to have an election," the Reverend said sensibly, "let's hear some more nominations."

"I nominate Doctor Mike!" Horace declared.

Emma Jane looked over at Michaela, who looked stunned. "Well, I appreciate it, but I don't know very much about politics."

"You've read all them books. You probably know more than the rest of us do." Horace seemed determined to get his way.

"Can ya imagine _Michaela _as mayor?" Hank whispered to his wife.

"I think she'd make a very good mayor," Emma Jane replied, "I suppose you'd rather we have Jake."

"Course I do," he told her, "Jake's a man."

"We can't have a lady mayor," Loren said.

"Why not?" Horace asked.

"It would make us look like…" Loren was stuck for the right phrase.

"A town full of cissies?" Hank offered. Everyone laughed, but Emma Jane dug him hard in the ribs.

"Thank you for the nomination Horace," Michaela stood up, "I accept."

Emma Jane smiled triumphantly, "See? I bet you she wins."

"Let's hope she don't," he told her.

"You're just afraid of having to take orders from a woman," Emma Jane stood up as everyone began filing out of the church, "You already think she's too big for her boots and this would be the final straw, wouldn't it? Well, I personally would like to see it happen and I'm going to offer my support." She made to go over and congratulate the other woman, but Hank grabbed her arm and forced her to look at him.

"Oh yeah? And what do ya think the first thing she would do would be? Close the saloon."

"Don't be so ridiculous," Emma Jane replied, trying to get free of his grip.

"Ain't bein' ridiculous," he told her, his eyes flashing angrily, "she'd stop the entertainin', stop the drinkin' and close us down."

"You're overreacting, now let me go," she demanded, her voice low. The years had taught her not to draw attention to a marital spat.

"Yer not helpin' with any damn campaign to make _her _mayor."

Emma Jane glared at him, "The days when you told me what to do are long gone, Hank. Now, let go of my arm."

For a moment, they were locked together, their angry gazes penetrating one another. Then, he suddenly let her go, pushing her away from him suddenly so that she almost fell.

"Fine, go," he said, then he turned to leave.

Emma Jane smoothed her hair down and shook her head in exasperation. "All this fuss over an election," she muttered as she went over to speak to Michaela.

Hank stormed back towards the saloon, his head down, his whole body language warning everyone not to come near. The locket was burning a hole in his pocket and he needed to get rid of it as soon as possible. Untying Hurricane from the front of the saloon, he jumped up quickly and turned her towards the edge of town. There was a man he knew in Soda Springs.

It was a start.


	2. Chapter 2

"Where's Hank?" Emma Jane asked as she walked back into the saloon. She had spent the last hour or so with Michaela, Dorothy and Grace discussing the former's bid for town mayor. They had come up with a number of ideas as to strategy and proposals and felt confident that they could promote change in the town.

"Don't know," Mandy said from behind the bar, "Saw him gettin' on his horse a little while ago. He rode off out of town."

"Typical," Emma Jane sighed and lifted a few empty glasses from a nearby table, "he's probably still sulking."

"Sulking?"

"Because Michaela's running for mayor and I said I would help. I don't think he's too keen on us women potentially getting the vote."

"The vote?" Mandy's eyes grew wide, "Ya think we could git the vote?"

"If Michaela wins, we will, whether we own property or not. Wouldn't that be a coup?"

"A what?"

"A victory." Emma Jane rephrased. She put the glasses down on the table, "I just don't think Hank sees it like that." She looked around, "It's not very busy in here, where is everyone?"

Mandy shrugged, "At the meeting I guess."

"No, it finished over an hour ago." She sighed, "Oh well, I'm sure they'll be in soon enough. Have Will and Victoria been all right?"

"Sure, haven't heard a peep outta either of them," Mandy replied, "both been sleeping like babies."

"I'll just go check on them," Emma Jane said, "can you manage down here?"

"Sure thing."

Emma Jane left the bar and made her way upstairs to her children. She slipped into Victoria's room where the little girl was lying on her side, her thumb halfway out of her mouth, her breathing regular and even. Emma Jane watched her, admired her blonde locks on the pillow. She was two and a half now, and growing bigger by the day. She left the room and closed the door quietly behind her, then she moved into her own room where Will was lying sleeping in his basket. As she moved closer, he opened his eyes and looked up at her, not crying, just looking as if to say, 'where have you been?'

Emma Jane lifted him out of the basket and held him to her, "Hey little one. Are you hungry?" She sat down in the chair beside the bed and opened her dress to allow him access to her. As he latched on and began suckling, she felt that sense of completeness that always enveloped her whenever they shared such a special moment. "You're so beautiful," she crooned to him gently, "and I'm always going to look after you, no matter what." He looked up at her with big, brown, trusting eyes and she smiled gently, "I promise, I'll always be there for you."

In her mind's eye, she remembered her dream, the vision, where she had seen Lydia and Abigail and what they had told her of the future. Then she banished it from her mind. It had been some strange hallucination, most likely brought on by fever, it wasn't something she should put any stock in.

SSSS

Hank had been waiting almost half an hour for Old Nick to make up his mind on the locket. When he had arrived at the shop, he had been full of hope, convinced he would get a good price for it, but as the time went on, he was starting to grow doubtful. Old Nick was still staring at it through his magnifying glass.

"Well?" Hank demanded impatiently.

"These things take time," the older man replied.

"I ain't _got _time!"

Old Nick lifted his head, "What is it with you young folks? You never got any patience."

"Are ya gonna buy it or not?"

Old Nick furrowed his brow, "I'll give you a hundred dollars."

"A hundred bucks?" Hank was stunned, "that's all?"

"Best price you'll get," Old Nick replied, "There isn't much call for these kind of trinkets."

"Ya gotta give me more than a hundred bucks."

Old Nick held out the locket, "You're welcome to try and get a better price somewhere else."

Hank paused. He _could _try somewhere else, but this was most likely his best bet. Nowhere else would give him a higher price than Old Nick. He was known for being scrupulously fair. "Fine," he grunted.

Old Nick smiled, "I'm glad we have a deal."

Hank came out of the shop a hundred dollars richer, but one important keepsake less.

SSSS

By the time he got back to the saloon, it was after dark and when he went inside, Emma Jane looked up from behind the bar, her gaze accusatory.

"Where have you been?" she demanded.

"None of yer business," he replied sourly, grabbing a bottle of whiskey and pouring himself a drink.

"Oh really?" she replied, "I suppose I'm just expected to stay here, run a saloon and look after two children, am I?" She grabbed the bottle back from him, "and you drink far too much of that."

"What?" he looked at her in disbelief.

"I said, you drink far too much of that," she lowered her voice, "My God, Hank, you can get through half our inventory by yourself. Try and leave some for the _paying _customers." She was half-joking, but Hank didn't share her humour.

"If I want to drink, I'm going to drink," he grabbed the bottle back from her.

"What is wrong with you today?" she asked, "You were fine this morning and now you're acting like a bear with a sore head."

Hank bit his tongue. He didn't want to tell Emma Jane about the money situation. It was something he had to sort out himself as man of the house, "Yeah well, I'm just tired."

She stepped forward and put her hand on his forehead, "You do feel a little warm."

He slapped her hand away, "Bin takin' tips from Michaela have we?"

Emma Jane was growing tired of his behaviour, "Oh for God's sake, go to bed if you're going to be like that. I've got customers to serve." She walked away from him and started to pour drinks for two men who had just approached the bar. They appeared to be enquiring about the hospitality and he saw her gesturing to Mandy and Helen. Then he turned and headed upstairs to bed.

Will was lying sleeping in his crib and Hank stood looking over him for the longest time, as if imprinting his face onto his memory. He didn't realise how long he had been standing there before Emma Jane came up behind him.

"Everything all right?" she asked softly, partly so as not to wake the baby, and partly because she didn't want a repeat of the argument that had had downstairs.

"Yeah," he replied quietly, not taking his eyes off of the baby.

"I didn't mean to nag," she continued, "I was just…wondering where you had been, that's all."

Hank turned to face her and took in her troubled expression. It was on the tip of his tongue to confess all, but something held him back. "Sorry," he said. He didn't say it often and when he did, Emma Jane knew he meant it.

"It's ok," she stepped forward and put her arms around his waist, "I'm sorry too." She turned her face upwards and let her kiss him, "The last few customers are starting to leave and the girls' are cleaning up…" she let her words tail off.

Hank lifted her up and carried her over to the bed. Laying her down gently, he started to unbutton the front of her dress, his mouth trailing kisses down her neck. Emma Jane ran her hands through his hair and pulled his mouth down harder on hers. Just as things were beginning to get to a crucial point, there was a knock at the door.

"Go away!" Hank called, lifting his mouth from his wife's only long enough to say the words.

"Sorry," Mandy's voice floated through the door, "Victoria's a bit upset, and she wants Emma Jane." Hank sighed resignedly and moved his body off of Emma Jane's to allow her to move off of the bed.

"Never mind," Emma Jane said, buttoning up her dress and smoothing her hair down, "plenty of time later." She shot him a suggestive smile.

"S'pose so," Hank muttered, annoyed that he had been thwarted in his attempt to forget about money and revel in his wife's body.

"You know," Emma Jane said, checking herself in the mirror, "As handy as it is having the girls around to look after the children from time to time, I won't be sorry when the entertaining stops."

"What?" Hank looked up at her.

"When the entertaining stops," she repeated, "when Michaela becomes mayor."

"Who says anything about stoppin' the entertainin'?" He demanded, jumping off of the bed.

"Michaela says it's uncivilised and I happen to agree," she turned to face him, "I've never been in favour of it, but I've gone along with it all these years. I think it's time to make a change now."

"Oh, ya do, do ya?"

She frowned at his hostility, "Come on, Hank. We do our best to look after the girls, but it's not really a life, is it? And, quite frankly, I'm not sure I want our children growing up around that."

"So yer gonna let her ruin our business are ya?"

"It's not going to ruin our business," she laughed, "we make enough through the saloon, we don't need the…extras."

Hank was fuming. "I was here long before you were!" he shouted at her, "I started this place and I ain't changin' what's bin workin' just fine fer all these years! The entertainin' does _not _stop!"

Emma Jane stared at him, "You might not have a choice, Hank. When Michaela becomes mayor…"

"She ain't gonna become mayor!" he bellowed at her, "'sides, ya can't even vote, and no man who can is gonna vote for her!"

"Something else which will change when she wins," Emma Jane stood her ground, "I hope you're going to be coming to the debate tomorrow, Hank, you might actually learn something." With that, she swept out of the room, determined to stand her ground and feeling quite pleased with herself. She was looking forward to a new town regime.

Hank flopped back down on the bed and reached under the mattress to where he had stored the hundred dollars. Lifting it out, he flicked through it, wishing he had it for any other purpose than to hand over to the bank. And it wasn't nearly enough.

On a whim, he got up and walked over to the dressing table where Emma Jane kept her jewellery box. The only pieces she ever really wore were her wedding ring, a pair of earrings her father had given her for her sixteenth birthday and a small gold chain. She had other more expensive pieces that her family had passed down to her, but which she tended to keep locked in the box. He stood looking at the small rosewood box, his mind's eyes flitting over the pieces he knew were inside; an emerald ring and earrings and a pearl necklace, to name only two. If he were to sell them, they might help him to reach the target figure he needed.

Opening the top dresser drawer, he found the small silver key tucked at the back and fitted it easily into the lock. Then he stopped, unable to bring himself to open the box. It would be no better than stealing and while in theory he wasn't averse to it, he knew he couldn't steal from the one person who meant the most to him. It would destroy any last vestige of trust that existed between them. He took the key back out of the lock and put it back into the dresser drawer.

SSSS

"You'd close the saloon." Hank looked hard at Michaela the following morning as the town sat in the church to witness the debate between the two candidates. Deep down, he felt that perhaps it might not even matter any more if she did.

"I never said that," Michaela replied.

"But you got an opinion, don't you?" Jake turned to look at her.

"I think it's something for the whole town to decide," Michaela appeased. "Drinking does cause health problems and it can lead to violence. Alcohol leads to men beating their wives and children."

"So you'd ban it," Jake pressed.

"As I said, it's something for the whole town to decide."

"But if it were up to _you_?" Jake faced her.

"Personally?" Michaela paused, "Yes, I'd prohibit it."

The church erupted with the sound of men groaning at this thought, the possibility that they could be prevented from having their usual tipple. The women too put their heads in their hands; they knew it was over, that men would never vote for a candidate planning to close the local drinking den.

"Told ya," Hank turned to where Emma Jane was sat beside him, "told ya she'd wanna shut down our business."

"She said it would be a town decision," Emma Jane replied unconvincingly.

"Yeah, right." Hank got to his feet as everyone began to make their way out of the church. "Keep tellin' yerself that."

He left her sitting in the pew, deflated. From having such high hopes as to what Michaela could bring to the town as mayor, she now felt as if the rug had been pulled right out from under her.

"Emma Jane!" Michaela and Dorothy hurried over, "We were going to make some banners, do you want to join us?" The former smiled enthusiastically.

"I'm sorry," Emma Jane replied, "I can't."

"Well Hank can manage by himself at the saloon for a few hours, can't he?" Dorothy said. "You've got artistic flair! We could use your input."

"I need all the help I can get after that performance," Michaela grimaced.

"I'm sorry Michaela," Emma Jane said, and she really was, "but I can't help you with your campaign."

"What? But…why not?"

"I agree with so many of your principals, I really do. Lord knows I would love to have the vote and I could even live without the entertaining in the saloon…" she trailed off, "but…the saloon's my livelihood, it's Hank's livelihood and it's our home and…" she sighed heavily, "I can't support someone who would want to close it down. As much as it pains me, I'm going to have to support Jake."

"Oh…Emma Jane…" Dorothy looked upset.

"It's not that I don't want you to be mayor!" Emma Jane put her hand on Michaela's arm, "It's just…" she didn't know how to explain that despite it's ramshackle appearance, slightly dingy interior and dubious clientele, the saloon was where she had spent the last twelve years of her life and there was no way she could give it up on a point of principle.

"I understand," Michaela sighed, "I'm sorry."

"So am I," Emma Jane replied. As she walked back to the saloon, she looked around her and took in the numerous signs and banners already depicting Jake's name and demanding a vote for him. There was literally no building left unmarked, including the saloon, which had a large painted sign above the door proclaiming, 'Vote For Jake – He'll Save Your Whiskey.'

She pushed open the door of the saloon and immediately she could hear men laughing at how there was no way Doctor Quinn could win now, not if she was planning to abolish alcohol. Hank was nowhere to be seen and Mandy and Helen were struggling to serve behind the bar.

"Where's Hank?" she asked, throwing her shawl down on the bar and putting her hands on her hips.

"Think he's upstairs," Helen replied.

"I'll go and get him," Emma Jane said, "I'm not having him lazing around debating Jake's imminent victory while we all slave away down here." She stormed towards the stairs and pounded up them, ignoring one man who called her an elephant. "Hank!" she looked in Victoria's room and found it empty. Then she went into her own bedroom and found him sat on the bed holding Will in his arms with Victoria by his side. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"What does it look like?"

"There's a full bar downstairs and the girls need help."

"So go down and help," he told her.

Emma Jane walked over to the bed and crouched down in front of him, "Hank, is something wrong?"

He lifted his eyes and looked at her, "What?"

"Is something wrong?" she repeated, "You've been acting a little strange recently. All this business over the campaign and about the entertaining…" He looked back down at his son lying in his arms and then at his daughter. When he met her gaze again, she thought she saw tears hovering in his eyes. "Hank?"

At that moment, Will started to cry and he immediately handed him to her. Emma Jane held the baby to her and watched as her husband walked over to the window and looked out.

"Hank, you're frightening me. What's wrong?"

Hank turned back to face her, "Ya know I love ya, don't ya?"

"Of course." She rocked the baby in her arms.

"An…ya know I love Victoria and Will."

"I know," she said.

"I got somethin' to tell ya."


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for being patient guys! Here's the next chapter for you to enjoy. I have to apologise for the inconsistencies in the scenes from The Campaign - I didn't want to make it exactly the same and I didn't have the episode to hand to get the dialogue all right - hope you enjoy anyway!**

"What?" Emma Jane looked at him, feeling her insides go cold. "What do you have to tell me?"

Hank opened his mouth to reply, already beginning to feel the relief of sharing the problem flood through him, but he was cut off by the sounds of shouting from downstairs. Hank immediately bolted for the door and hurried down the stairs into the saloon. Emma Jane followed quickly behind and burst in behind him just in time to see her husband addressing Mandy angrily.

"Ya got a payin' customer," he was telling her.

"But that's…that's Danny John O'Malley," Mandy replied.

"So?" Hank looked furious, "Git yerself over there."

"What's going on?" Emma Jane waded in.

Mandy turned frightened eyes on her, "I don't want to go with him, Emma Jane." Her voice was barely a whisper, "He's the one that cut that girl up in Manitou."

Emma Jane looked at the so-called 'gentleman' in question. He was well dressed and looked nice enough, but there was a hardness in his eyes and she didn't like the way his gaze roamed over her. "Of course you don't have to go with him," she told the younger girl, "not if you don't want to."

Hank looked at her incredulously, "Not if she don't want to?"

"Not if she's afraid he's going to hurt her."

"I've never hurt a lady in my life, ma'am" O'Malley said, "I'm offended by the insinuation."

"I'm sorry you're offended Mr O'Malley," Emma Jane, "but I'm not going to force her to go with you if she doesn't want to. You'll have to take your custom elsewhere."

"No, ya won't," Hank grabbed Mandy's arm, "she's ready and willin'."

"No she's not," Emma Jane positioned herself in between them, "Mandy, go and check on Will please." The other girl scuttled away quickly before there could be further debate.

"What the hell do ya think yer doin'?" Hank asked quietly, "Drivin' away customers."

"We don't need his kind of custom," she told him, watching as O'Malley loped towards the door. She turned to go back upstairs but Hank grabbed her arm and pulled her roughly over towards the bar.

"_I _decide what kind of custom we need," he told her, "not you."

"So I don't even have a say on who we let in here?" she demanded.

"It ain't yer place."

Emma Jane was flabbergasted, "Not my place? Is that more of the Jake Slicker theory? Women in the home, but God forbid they actually dare to open their mouths and venture an opinion?"

"We need the money, Emma Jane, can't you see that?"

"I don't see why we need it so badly that you're willing to risk Mandy getting hurt!""The girls belong to me and _I_ decide who they go with!"

"I'm not going to stand back and let you put any of them in danger!"

"That Michaela's thinkin'?" he challenged her, "who the hell she think she is puttin' fool ideas in yer head?"

"What?"

"She's got a lot to answer for, goin' around makin' the women in this town think they're more important than they already are."

Emma Jane looked at him in disbelief. He had always been the typical frontier chauvinist but to hear him talk now… "I know you don't mean that."

"Don't I?" he glared at her.

"You were going to tell me something earlier," she reminded him, "something that seemed important to you."

Hank looked at her, standing in front of him defiantly and suddenly all the impetus to confess left him. He knew exactly what would happen if he did tell her. Her eyes wouldn't fill with tears. She wouldn't cling to him trembling and beg him to make everything all right. She wouldn't lie meek in his arms while he made fierce love to her, all the while reassuring her that he would fix everything. No, if he told her, she would get angry. She would demand to know what had happened, want to know every last detail. She would browbeat him for not doing something about it. Just the thought of it was enough to give him a headache. He was the man of the house, he would fix it. No sense in worrying the lady.

"It was nothin'" he told her dismissively, "nothin' ya need worry yer little head about."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Emma Jane put her hands on her hips.

"Look after the girls, Emma Jane," he told her, his tone slightly gentler, "that's what yer good at."

As he turned away from her, Emma Jane couldn't help wondering whether the remark was meant complimentarily or not.

SSSS

Day turned into night and then day again before Emma Jane had really noticed. She and Hank hadn't spoken for the rest of the day. There had been no real animosity between them, in fact he had even smiled at her across the room at one point, but they hadn't exchanged any words. That night, she had expected him to claim her, as he usually did, but instead he had merely dropped a kiss on her forehead before turning away from her and sleeping as far away from her as possible. She had lain, worried and confused, wanting to ask him what was wrong, but something had stopped her. The tense muscles in his back told her that he was in no mood for talking.

In the morning, he was up and about before she was even awake. After feeding the baby and getting Victoria up and dressed, she went downstairs into the bar to find him sitting at one of the tables, an open bottle of whiskey in front of him.

"Hank, it's barely eight o'clock."

"So?" he looked up at her.

"Well, don't you think it's a little early?"

"No, I don't." He took another drink, "Off to do some more campaignin'?"

"I told Michaela I couldn't help her anymore."

Hank looked up, surprised, "What?"

"You were right," she sighed, sitting down opposite him, "Michaela's views on what goes on here…she might not have said it but…well the saloon probably _would _suffer and…" she sighed, "and it's our home, despite everything." She glanced up at him, "So I'm a big hypocrite."

Hank smiled, leaned over and took her hand, "No, yer not. Just glad ya saw things from my point of view."

"All right, I've made my confession, what's yours?"

His face fell and he snatched his hand back, "What do ya mean?"

"I mean, there was something you wanted to tell me yesterday and…all of a sudden you clammed up, and don't think I was put off by that 'look after the girls' line." She looked him square in the face, "I know something's wrong, Hank, and I want to know what it is.""Can't ya just let it be?" he stood up and walked away from her over to the bar.

"I could," she replied, "but keeping secrets from each other is what caused us all that trouble last year, remember?" She stood up and walked over behind him. Gently, she put her hands on his back and rested her head against him, "I don't want to go through that again." He turned to face her. "Please, whatever it is, just tell me."

Hank paused, and for a moment, she thought he was going to tell her. Then his face grew hard again, "It's nothin'" He pushed past her, "Gotta water down the whiskey."

SSSS

The campaigning was in full swing. Emma Jane watched from the saloon window as Jake strolled around town doffing his hat and kissing babies. She had never seen him so jovial, although she knew it was more to do with Loren's persuasion than any natural warmth flowing from Jake. Across the street, she saw Michaela and Dorothy climbing into the wagon to take their campaign to those living on the outskirts. Part of her wished she could join them, but a greater part reminded her of what could happen if Michaela won.

Turning away from the window, she looked over at the raucous poker game that was going on in one corner of the room. Hank was right in the thick of it, laughing and joking as if nothing was wrong. She had tried to get him to talk to her again, but he had maintained a steadfast silence. Every time he caught her eye, the smile on his face would slip and he would look away as quickly as possible. She had started to imagine all sorts of scenarios that could be responsible for his mood and she was terrified that it had to do with his health. What if he was sick?

"Emma Jane!" she was roused from her thoughts by the sound of him calling her name. Looking up, she saw him gesture to the bar, "Git some more drinks."

Obediently, she went behind the bar and retrieved another couple of bottles of whiskey. The noise from the game was beginning to give her a headache and she slammed the bottles down on the table harder than she intended. Hank grabbed her wrist and for a moment, their gazes locked, then she pulled away from him and moved back across the room. If he could close himself off from her, then so could she. She made her way over to the stairs to go and check on the children when the door to one of the rooms flew open and Mandy came hurrying out, Danny John O'Malley in close pursuit. He grabbed her around the waist and tried to pull her back into the room.

Emma Jane ran forward and forced her way in between them, "Let her go!" she cried. O'Malley responded by hitting her hard across the face and then throwing Mandy at her. Both women fell in a heap and O'Malley rushed for the door of the saloon. Most of the customers were too caught off guard to react, but Hank leapt to his feet and chased O'Malley out. As she picked herself up, and helped Mandy to her feet, she could hear the sound of gunfire out in the street.

"Are you all right?" she asked, turning to the younger girl.

"My arm…" Mandy held out her arm and Emma Jane saw blood pouring from a cut.

"We'd best get you over to Doctor Mike's," Emma Jane said. She grabbed a bar cloth, "Here, wrap this around it." She propelled Mandy to the door, in time to meet Hank coming back in. He blanched when he saw her.

"You all right?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she replied.

"Yer eye…" he reached out to touch her, but she moved out of the way.

"I have to get Mandy over to Doctor Mike's." She pushed past him and led Mandy across the street to the clinic. Banging on the door, she waited, until Colleen opened it. "Colleen, is Doctor Mike here?" she asked, "It's Mandy."

"No, she ain't," Colleen replied, "What happened?"

"One of my customers cut my arm," Mandy said, showing it to her, "It really hurts."

"Come inside, and I'll take a look," Colleen ushered them inside. Emma Jane paced around nervously. She watched as Colleen tended to the wound, and Mandy winced in pain. "Sorry." She looked over at Emma Jane, "Do you want me to take a look at your eye?"

"No, no I'm fine, just look after Mandy." At that moment, Michaela came into the clinic

"What happened?" she asked, rushing forward.

"Mandy got cut by a client," Emma Jane said, her voice shaking.

Michaela examined the wound, "It'll need stitching." She turned to Emma Jane, "Colleen, get some ice for Emma Jane's eye."

"I'm all right, really," she protested, but the cold compress felt good on her stinging face.

"I should have been here," Michaela murmured to herself, "I should have been here."

Emma Jane was starting to feel slightly sick from the heat inside the clinic, so she opened the door to go and sit outside and came face to face with Hank.

"Ya all right?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied curtly, "Did you let O'Malley go with Mandy?"

He had the good grace to look ashamed, "Needed the money."

"I am sick to death of hearing that from you!" she shouted at him, "You can't excuse everything by saying we need the money! Mandy could have been killed!"

"She weren't."

"But she could have been," she insisted, "but I suppose that would have been all right as long as he had paid first!" With that, she threw the ice pack down on the ground and stormed past him back over to the saloon.

SSSS

Two days later, the Reverend came out of the church and addressed the assembled crowd who had gathered to vote. "I have the results of the vote. Jake Slicker, 130, Doctor Michaela Quinn, 98."

Emma Jane saw Michaela's face fall as the result was read out and turned to look at all the men who were rejoicing and congratulating Jake. She caught Hank's eye and he smiled at her. Grudgingly, she returned it.

Jake made his way onto the steps and addressed the crowd, "I wanna thank you all for coming out and voting for me today, and I promise to make good on all of my campaign pledges." He looked over at Dorothy who appeared to be gesturing to him, "And the first thing I'm gonna do is fix so that everyone can have the vote, whether they own property or not."

"Including women?" Horace called out.

"Yeah, including women."

Emma Jane's mouth dropped open and she looked over at Michaela, who was grinning broadly. Then she glanced at Hank again who looked less than impressed. She walked over to him, "So, Jake won."

"Yeah," he replied, "and ya got the vote."

"A good result all round then."

He reached out and pushed a lock of hair away from her face, "How's yer eye?"

"Fine," she replied.

"Bout Mandy…" he began.

"Let's not," she held up her hand, "She's fine and that's the main thing." She sighed, "but I wish you would tell me what's wrong." There was a silence, then he turned and walked away from her. Emma Jane shook her head in frustration at his retreating figure and then turned back to where Michaela was walking towards her. "I'm pleased for you," she told her, smiling.

"Why? I lost," Michaela reminded her.

"Yes, but we've got the vote!" Emma Jane replied, "Think of how much good we can do with it."

"I suppose you're right. Hank's face was a picture, as were most of the other men in town."

Emma Jane made a face, "They'll just have to get over it." They linked arms as they began walking across the grass, "Did you do some kind of deal with Jake?"

"Yes," Michaela admitted, "I promised that if I won I wouldn't close the saloon or stop the entertaining."

"And Jake?"

"He promised to let women have the vote. It was the lesser of two evils to agree."

"I suppose you'll be working to outlaw prostitution now then."

Michaela stopped to face her, "I wouldn't do anything to put your livelihood at risk, Emma Jane, but…"

"I know, and I agree," she reassured her, "I don't like it any more than you do, but perhaps a gradual change might be best."

"Absolutely."

Emma Jane gestured to the saloon. "I'm guessing I can't tempt you to come in for a celebratory drink?"

Michaela looked momentarily thrown, "Oh…no, thank you, I…"

"I'm kidding," Emma Jane laughed, "God forbid the good Doctor Quinn give up her last vestige of dignity."

As they laughed, the door of the saloon burst open and Hank came hurrying out. "Emma Jane," he took her arm, "Gotta talk to ya."

"I was just congratulating Michaela, despite her loss."

"I'm sure you're very pleased that your wife now has the vote, Hank," Michaela said.

"Don't got time fer this," he grabbed Emma Jane roughly and pulled her away from Michaela and into the empty saloon.

"Hank!" she protested, struggling under his grip, "What on earth…"

"I need to talk to ya."

"And manhandling me into the saloon is…"

"Please!" he shouted at her, "please, just shut up and listen." Emma Jane was stunned into silence. "I gotta tell ya…" he stopped and walked away from her, "I gotta tell ya…"

"Tell me what?" her breath caught in her throat at the prospect of finally finding out what had been bothering him, "what is it?"

"It's about this place."

"The saloon?" This wasn't what she expected. "What about it?"

Hank poured himself a whiskey, "Want one?" he held out the bottle. She shook her head, "Figures. Yer a lady after all."

Emma Jane didn't rise to the bait. She didn't want to get into yet another debate about their mismatch. "What about this place?"

"'Member when I came to New York to git ya?"

She smiled, "How could I forget?"

"When…I got to Denver, I went to the bank. The Denver City Bank." He looked down at the ground, "I took out a loan, to cover expenses." He looked back up again.

"And?"

"And…I took it out against the saloon."

At first, his words meant nothing to her, but then as she thought back to the many conversations she had listened to her father and Thomas engaging in, the meaning of his words became clear. "You put the saloon up as collateral." He nodded, "So, what's the problem?"

"Haven't…haven't made the repayments," he mumbled.

"What? Why not?"

"Don't have the money, Emma Jane," he looked at her fiercely, "don't ya see that? Haven't had enough to cover what the bank charges, plus all that damn interest…" he ran a hand through his hair. "Why do ya think I've been…? Man from the bank came around the other day."

Emma Jane knew in her heart what that meant, but she asked the question anyway, "What did he want?" she asked.

"Said if we don't pay what we owe by the end of next week..."

"Then the bank will take the saloon."

He looked up at her, "How did ya know?"

"I grew up in a banking family, Hank. These kinds of situations were commonplace." She didn't add that she had never expected it to happen to her own family. She sat down heavily at one of the tables, "How much do we owe?" He handed her a scrap of paper and she scanned it quickly, "Oh my God."

"Don't reckon he's listenin'"

"Well, we have to raise the money."

"How exactly do ya propose we do that?"

She sighed heavily, "I don't know, increase prices I suppose, try and get more customers in…" she chewed her lip, "I could wire my father…"

"No! No way!"

"Hank…"

"Ain't gettin' yer folks involved. Ain't gonna take their charity."

"They're family, Hank, and I know that all they'd want to do is help us."

"And have yer father and yer brother look down their noses at me more than they already do? Not to mention yer mother."

"My father and Thomas aren't like that, as well you know. And as for Mother…"

"I said, no, Emma Jane. Swear on my life if ya contact them I'll…"

"You'll what?" she glared at him, "Beat me within an inch of my life? For God's sake, Hank, this isn't the time for petty squabbles. If what you're saying is true, we could be out on the streets next week, and not just us, but our children too, have you thought about them?"

"Course I have! You and them children are all I've ever thought about! Ya think I haven't?"

"No, of course not," she said, "but we need to do something, and quickly. Banks don't hang around when it comes to foreclosures. That I _do _know."

"If ya got any bright ideas, now might be the time to air 'em."

At that moment, a wail from upstairs filled the air. "It's Will," Emma Jane, "he must be hungry." She made to go to the stairs, but Hank grabbed her arm again.

"What we gonna do?" he asked her, and she could see that he looked desperate.

"Right now?" she shook her head, "I really don't know."


	4. Chapter 4

**I know, I'm a terrible person for making you all wait so long! But here is the next chapter!**

Sleep evaded her that night. She lay in bed looking at the ceiling, thinking about the saloon, about all the good and bad things that had happened there over the last few years. She remembered her horror when she first saw the place, the feeling of nausea that had risen in her throat when she saw the girls lounging at the door. Then she thought about being with Hank, standing by his side, mistress of the saloon. The sound of it made her want to laugh out loud, but instead she smiled wistfully. They couldn't lose it, they just couldn't!

As dawn broke, Hank rolled over and eyed her sleepily, "Hey."

"Hey."

"Ya been awake all night?" She nodded mutely, "Ya must be exhausted." He reached out and ran his fingers lightly down her bare arm.

She looked over at him, "You didn't seem to have much trouble sleeping, considering."

He removed his hand, "Yeah well, spent enough sleepless nights lately. Ya want to be part of this place so much, ya take on some of the worry."

"Great, Hank, that's really helpful!" Emma Jane threw the covers off and climbed out of bed, "In case you've forgotten, it's because of what _you _did that we're in this mess!" She threw open the wardrobe and pulled out a dress. "If you hadn't taken out that loan…" She pulled it on.

He glared at her back, "If ya hadn't gone all the way to New York…"

"If you hadn't given me no other choice…!" she stopped herself before saying any more and sighed heavily. "This is pointless." She sank down on the end of the bed, "The worse thing we can do is fight. We have to stay strong together if we're going to survive this."

Hank paused and then crawled across the bed, wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder, "Yer right."

She smiled, "I'm always right."

"I weren't gonna say that."

She turned and kissed him, "We're going to get through this. We're going to come up with a plan and we're going to save the saloon."

"How ya reckon we're gonna do that?"

"Are you asking my opinion? Me? A lowly woman?"

He squeezed her tight, "Yer my girl. If anyone can do it, I reckon you can."

She wriggled out of his embrace and turned to face him as the mother of all good ideas came into her head, "Exactly, and that's _exactly _what I'm going to do." Leaving him in bed, she headed for the door. "Can you see to the children for me?" she called over her shoulder.

"What?" he called after her, "Hey! Got a saloon to run...!"

"Thanks Hank!"

"Emma!" he heard her footsteps going down the stairs towards the bar and then disappear. Groaning, he rolled over onto his back and looked at the ceiling for a moment until Will started to cry. "Don't ya ever shut up?" he demanded, rolling off of the bed and walking over to the basket. He stood looking at his son, his face growing red as he screamed, then he bent and picked Will up and held him in front of his face. At this, Will stopped crying and eyed his father, eyes brimming with tears. "Yeah well…" he said, "guess yer gonna have to rely on yer Ma to get us out of this mess. Fraid yer Pa ain't been much use." He held the baby to his chest, "Ain't much use for anything right now."

SSSS

The air was crisp and cool, a perfect February morning and when Emma Jane stepped outside, she took in a lungful of air. Then she stepped off of the porch and into the street, turning briefly to look up at the sign.

"Someone's up early." She turned to see Michaela climbing off of her horse.

"Too nice a morning to waste."

"Yes it is good weather for February," Michaela commented as she walked over. She followed Emma Jane's gaze. "Something wrong with the sign?"

"Oh…no," Emma Jane broke her gaze away and smiled, "I was just looking, that's all." She saw Michaela eye her speculatively, "What?"

"Was everything all right last night?"

"How do you mean?"

"Well…when we were coming back from the church and Hank…"

"Oh, that!" Emma Jane waved her hand, "That was nothing, just Hank being Hank."

"You know," Michaela said carefully, "I'm not one to pry into other people's business…"

"Then don't," Emma Jane stopped her, politely but firmly. The last thing she wanted was to talk about their money troubles.

"Of…of course," Michaela caught herself. "I…I was wondering…would you like to have lunch this afternoon?"

Emma Jane paused, "Of course, I'd love to."

"Great," Michaela smiled, "Shall we say Grace's at twelve?"

"I'll see you there." Emma Jane watched as Michaela walked back over to the clinic then hurried over to the Gazette office and banged on the door. At first, there was no response, so she banged louder until Dorothy appeared at the door.

"Emma Jane!" she declared through the glass, "What on earth…?"

"Can you open up?" Emma Jane called to her.

Dorothy unlocked the door and opened it, "It's barely morning!"

"Why waste a single moment of the day?"

"Well, I…"

"I was hoping you could help me?"

Dorothy pushed back a wisp of her hair, "If I can, I suppose…"

"I want to put an advert in the paper. A big advert." Emma Jane grinned, "The biggest."

Dorothy frowned, "All right. Hold on a second." She turned and lifted a notebook from the counter next to the door, "What do you want to say in this advert?"

"Next Friday, first drink free at the saloon."

Dorothy eyed her suspiciously, "Free drink?"

"_First _drink only," Emma Jane reminded her. "And exciting new entertainment." Dorothy raised her eyebrows. "Not that sort of entertainment. I mean, entertainment like…" she struggled to explain, "Entertainment."

"All right," Dorothy nodded slowly, "I think I understand what you mean. It'll go in the paper today."

"I also need flyers."

"Flyers?"

"Yes, you know, to hand out to people."

"I know what flyers are, Emma Jane."

"Oh," Emma Jane felt her face turn red, "No, I mean, I wasn't implying that you didn't…" she coughed, "anyway, I need flyers advertising the evening itself. Something along the same lines as the advert: Free drink, new entertainment, raffle and other exciting things."

"Raffle?"

"Yes it's a…" she broke off on Dorothy's look and merely smiled.

"All right, I'll have them for you by this evening."

"Thanks, Dorothy. I'll pay you later." Emma Jane turned away from the newspaper office and hurried along the street to where Horace was just opening up. "Horace!" she shouted, startling him so much that he stepped back and crashed into the door of the office. "Oh Lord!" she rushed forward to him, "Are you all right?"

"Fine thank you," he replied, pulling himself up with as much dignity as he could muster, "What can I do for you?"

"I'd like to send a telegram to New York," she told him, "To Mrs Isabella Hyatt, Park Avenue, New York City." It was a gamble she hoped would pay off.

SSSS

Isabella was sitting down to lunch when her butler brought in the telegram. As soon as she saw it had come from Colorado Springs she tore it open excitedly. "It must be from Emma Jane," she told her slightly stunned husband, "Oh yes it is." She scanned the few lines quickly and frowned, "Oh, now…now I'm not sure…"

"Not sure about what?" Mr Hyatt asked across the table.

"Nothing dear," Isabella folded up the page and tucked it under her dinner plate, "Nothing for you to worry about."

SSSS

It was just after twelve when Emma Jane hurried into Grace's Café and saw Michaela waiting for her. "Sorry I'm late," she said, flopping down into one of the chairs.

"That's all right," Michaela laughed, "You look as though you've been running all over town!"

"I might as well have been."

"Have you left Hank to cope with the saloon and the children by himself?"

Emma Jane nodded, "It'll do him good." She looked up as Grace came over.

"Hello you two, what can I get you?" she asked.

"I'll have the meatloaf please," Michaela replied.

"Me too," Emma Jane echoed, "and…something else perhaps?"

Grace frowned, "Such as?"

"I was wondering if the two of you would like to donate something to a raffle."

"A raffle?" Grace looked confused, "What's a raffle?"

"It's where you pay money and get a numbered ticket. Then a draw is made for a prize and if your number comes up, you win," Emma Jane explained, "It's quite simple really."

"What sort of things did you have in mind?" Michaela asked.

"Well, I thought about perhaps a free meal here," Emma Jane nodded at Grace, "and…oh I don't know, a free check up at the clinic?"

Michaela laughed, "I'm not so sure that's the sort of prize someone would want to win."

"Can you think of anything else then?"

Michaela paused, "I'm sure I could come up with something."

"Great," Emma Jane grinned, "the draw will be made in the saloon next Friday. It's going to be a special evening."

"Special how?" Grace looked sceptical.

"Free first drink, new entertainment, not the biblical kind," she added quickly, "the raffle and…well I'm currently trying to think of other things!"

"Is it for a charitable cause?" Michaela asked.

"Um…" Emma Jane floundered, "Not exactly…"

Grace and Michaela exchanged looks, "Not exactly how?" the former asked.

Emma Jane sighed, "If I tell you, you must promise not to breathe a word to anyone, and especially not to anyone who would say anything to Hank."

Both women leaned in closer, "We promise," they replied in unison.

"Ok," Emma Jane nodded, "It all happened about six months ago…"

SSSS

By two o'clock, Hank was grumpy as hell. The baby had been fussing all day, Victoria had been playing up, Mandy had been too busy with customers to do anything and Emma Jane was nowhere to be seen.

"Gonna take the back of my hand to her when she gits back here," he hurrumphed to Jake who was standing at the bar.

"Don't understand why ya let her walk all over ya like that," Jake replied, "Yer a man, she's a woman, put her in her place."

Hank shook his head, "Ain't nobody can put Emma Jane in her place, not even me."

"Maybe yer just gettin' soft," Jake winked at him.

"What do ya mean?"

"I mean, yer just so grateful she came back from New York with ya, ya too scared to say nothin' case she runs off again." He shook his head, "Ain't never gonna have any authority in yer marriage if ya go on like that."

Hank glared at him, "Cause yer the expert of course, _Mayor _Slicker."

Jake opened his mouth to reply when the door of the saloon burst open and Emma Jane came breezing in.

"Sorry," she said, hurrying behind the bar, "I didn't realise it had been so long. I'll just go and check on the children and then I'll come and give you a hand." She made for the stairs, but Hank grabbed her arm.

"Where ya bin?"

"Sorting things out," she replied.

"What things?"

"Things to help us hang on to this place," she said coolly, pulling her arm free, "now if you don't mind…" with that, she hurried upstairs. Mandy was just coming out of their bedroom.

"I just checked on Will," she told her, "he's sleeping…well…like a baby."

"Thanks Mandy," Emma Jane crept into the room and over to the cot where her son was indeed napping peacefully. She watched him for a few moments and then went into Victoria's room where her daughter was just waking up from her nap. As she climbed into her mother's lap, Emma Jane held her close and kissed the top of her head. Part of her would be glad to see the back of the saloon. It really was no place to raise children. But the other part of her wanted so badly to hold onto it, to save it. It was, after all, their home.

"Emma Jane!" Hank's voice bellowed up the stairs. "Git yer butt down here and serve, will ya?"

Emma Jane put Victoria down onto the floor, gave her some toys and then left the room, leaving the door slightly ajar. When she got downstairs, she immediately went behind the bar and started to serve.

"Afternoon, Emma Jane," Loren said, "Usual please."

"No problem, Loren," she replied, pouring him a whisky.

"I put aside those things you asked me for," he told her.

"What things?" Hank asked, coming up behind her.

"Just some things we needed," she replied quickly, cutting Loren off before he could speak, "Isn't that right, Loren?" she glared at him meaningfully.

"Oh…oh yes, that's right," he replied, mindful of her earlier warning that the evening was supposed to be kept a secret from Hank. "Quite right."

Hank looked between them suspiciously, but then wandered off to serve another customer.

"Loren!" Emma Jane hissed.

"I'm sorry!" he replied, "I always was bad at keepin' secrets." He glanced over at Hank, "He don't suspect nothin'?"

"No, and I don't want him to until I decide to tell him about it."

"What's the big secret for anyhow? Ain't like he's not going to find out once the paper comes out tomorrow."

"I'm going to tell him later on tonight in my own good time," she replied, "I want to do it where there's going to be no-one else around."

SSSS

"Ya done what?" Hank bellowed at her later that evening.

"Organised a special evening at the saloon," she repeated herself as she got undressed.

"Without tellin' me?"

"What would you have said if I'd told you?" she replied.

"That we ain't holdin' no special events."

"And why not?" she turned to face him.

"Because…" he stuttered, "we just ain't!"

"Well we are," she replied, "it's all arranged. Advert in the paper, flyers, raffle prizes…I've even wired Isabella in New York to see about having the Bluebirds come."

"The who?"

"The Bluebirds," she replied, "they're a dance troupe."

"And how much is that gonna cost?"

"I asked Isabella if they could come for free."

"Free? Ya bin sayin' we need charity!"

"No, of course not!" Emma Jane was growing angry, "but we haven't got much choice. I've had to pay Dorothy for the advert and the flyers," she gestured to the papers sitting on the dressing table, "but apart from that…" she sighed, "in case you hadn't forgotten we have a heck of a lot of money to find by next weekend or we're going to be begging for real."

Hank sighed heavily and sat down on the edge of the bed, "Is this gonna work?"

"Yes," she replied confidently, "Yes it damn well is!"


	5. Chapter 5

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It was following morning when Emma Jane realised that Hank's mother's locket was gone. She was sat in front of the mirror putting on her own jewellery when she decided that it might be nice to wear the locket. Hank had never said that she couldn't, except for the first time, many years ago when she had found it and put it on, only for him to yell at her that she was never to touch it again. Afterwards, when his temper had been soothed by her body, he had told her she could wear it whenever she wanted. More often than not, she didn't, but this particular morning, she thought it would be apt. Emily Lawson, from what she had heard, had been a feisty lady and her daughter in law was determined to be no different.

Opening the wardrobe door, she found the wooden box, but when she opened it, it was empty. Thinking it may have fallen out, she crouched down and ran her hand along the wooden floor, but there was no sign of it.

Downstairs, Hank was watering down the whisky in preparation for opening and she hurried into the bar, holding the empty box in her hand.

"Hank?"

"What is it?"

"Your mother's locket's gone." She waited for him to look shocked, for him to run past her up the stairs and toss every piece of furniture and article of clothing around in his quest to find it. Instead, however, he merely carried on with what he was doing. "Did you hear me?"

"I heard ya."

"Well…aren't you worried? I don't know what's happened to it. I haven't had it on in weeks and…"

"I sold it."

Emma Jane paused, "You what?"

Hank put down the jug of water and turned to face her, "I said, I sold it. Took it to Old Nick in Soda Springs a few days ago."

"But…but why?"

"Why do ya think? For the money."

"Oh, Hank…" Emma Jane sighed, "You didn't have to do that. We're going to get the money. You didn't have to sell the locket."

"Got a hundred bucks fer it." Emma Jane didn't reply, "I know, ain't much."

"It was worth more to you than that."

"Yeah well…bein' sentimental ain't gonna pay the bank off." He tasted the liquor, "ain't sure this harebrained scheme of yers is goin' to either."

"It has to."

"Maybe it ain't worth the bother."

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe we should just cut our losses and go."

Emma Jane stared at him, "Go where?"

Hank shrugged, "Another state, another town, what's the difference?"

"The difference is that Colorado Springs is our home!"

"Don't gotta be yer home. Ya got another one just waiting for ya a train ride away."

She stepped forward, "Stop it. I'm fed up of that sort of talk. _This _is _our _home and we are _not _leaving it without a fight. I can't believe you would even think about it."

"Might not have any other choice."

"Don't say that until after Friday."

"Oh yeah…Friday."

"Hank," she put her hand on his arm, "After Friday night we are going to have the exact amount of money that Joseph Newberry wants. We are going to hand it to him and we are going to get ourselves out of this mess."

He pushed a lock of hair away from her forehead, "Hope yer right."

She stepped forward into his arm, "I am."

SSSS

"Who are the Bluebirds?" Brian asked, staring up at a flyer stuck on the side of Loren's store.

"They're a famous dance troupe from New York," Michaela replied.

"What's a dance troupe?"

"Well, it's a group of ladies who…dance. They're very popular."

"And they're coming here? To perform in the saloon?" Brian looked incredulous, "There gonna be enough room?"

Michaela shrugged, "I'm not sure."

"Can we go see 'em?"

"Oh, no Brian."

"Why not?"

"Children ain't allowed in the saloon," Loren said, coming out through the doors, "You know that."

"But this is a special night," Brian protested, pointing at the poster.

"I'm sorry Brian," Michaela replied, "In a few years time you'll be able to go to as many saloons as you want. But right now…" she pointed to the clock, "it's time for you to get on with your chores."

"Ok," Brian sighed, "I'll see you later." He hurried off down the street in the direction of the school house.

"You know what all this nonsense is about?" Loren demanded, gesturing to the flyer.

"It's a special night at the saloon."

"I _know _that, I'm not blind," the older man grumbled, "but what the hell for?"

Emma Jane had sworn both Michaela and Grace to secrecy and Michaela was determined to respect that, "I really have no idea, Loren. Why don't you ask Hank?"

"Hmm…" Loren shook his head, "He's been in a funny mood lately." He looked over to the saloon where Emma Jane was coming through the doors, "Reckon it's something to do with her."

"Emma Jane?"

Loren nodded, "She's always up to somethin' that one." He turned and headed back into the store. Michaela hurried down the steps to greet her friend.

"How are things going?"

"Well…"Emma Jane replied, "Hank wasn't exactly thrilled when I told him about Friday but…he'll just have to live with it."

"And you're definitely having the Bluebirds?"

Emma Jane looked at her, "You've heard of them?"

"Of course. I've never seen them but…"

"So, you'll be coming on Friday night then?" Emma Jane asked eagerly.

"Oh…well I…"

"Oh, please Michaela! It would mean so much to me if you would. Not for the money, but for the support. I know you wouldn't normally come into the saloon but…won't you want to know who wins your raffle prize? The medicine selection was a great idea."

Michaela paused, "I suppose…maybe just for a little while…"

Emma Jane squeezed her arm, "Thank you. I'm so glad."

SSSS

Mandy had never known was real love was. She had been a working girl since the age of fifteen, moved from town to town before settling in Colorado. She had been with so many men that she had lost count. Lost count of the number of times she had experienced physical pleasure, yet never felt that pull deep inside. She had always wanted to love and be loved, but had just never gotten the chance.

She remembered well the day Emma Jane had arrived in Colorado Springs. A frightened sixteen year old who had clearly been brought up far away from the sights, sounds and goings on of a frontier town saloon. She remembered watching as Carolyn had teased Emma Jane mercilessly and made it difficult for her. She remembered thinking, night after night, about how Hank must be treating her, revelling in the fact that she was young and naïve. She could recall well her own first experience at Hank's hands. But she also remembered seeing the tenderness and love eventually grow between Hank and Emma Jane. She remembered the pain it had caused Hank when Emma Jane had gone back to New York, remembered watching as Jessica had tried to take her place and the joy when Hank had brought his wife home. Their love was one that she envied. For all its ups and downs, they were strong together; they loved each other.

Mandy had never known was real love was until she met Harry Burke. He was a farmer who lived on the outskirts of town who had helped her up one day when she had fallen. Since then they had courted tentatively, well away from the saloon. During that time, she had felt the stirrings of something deep inside, something which she thought might be love. Now he had asked her to marry him, give her a new life away from prostitution, a fresh start. All she needed was Hank's permission to leave but with the mood the way it was in the saloon, she was afraid to ask. Harry was pressing for her to do it, yet she couldn't seem to find the courage.

That Tuesday night, she found that courage. Emma Jane had spent most of the day out organising things for Friday night's event. Hank hadn't been best pleased to be left in the saloon without her help for yet another day, but when Emma Jane had come home, full of how wonderful Friday was going to be and how it would definitely solve their problem, his mood had softened and Mandy seized on this good humour to make her announcement.

"I'm gettin' married!" It came out blunter than she had expected and both Hank and Emma Jane, who were tidying away the glasses stopped to look at her.

Emma Jane was the first to speak, "You're what?"

"I'm…I'm gettin' married," she repeated.

"To who?" Hank demanded.

"Harry Burke."

Hank frowned, "Who's Harry Burke?"

"I believe he's that good looking farmer from the edge of town," Emma Jane said, "I didn't know you were seeing him, Mandy."

The other woman blushed, "I haven't really talked about it cause I was afraid to but…now that he's asked to marry me I…" she laughed, "I felt I had to tell you, seein' as I'll be leavin'."

"Leavin'?" Hank echoed, "Ya ain't leavin'." Mandy's face fell and Emma Jane whirled around to face her husband. "Got a contract."

"Hank…" Emma Jane started.

"No!" he glared at her, "Got enough money problems as it is without losin' my best girl. Ya ain't leavin' til yer contract expires."

"When's that?" Mandy asked fearfully.

"Not fer another two years."

"You can't make her wait that long," Emma Jane protested, "And you're not going to. Mandy, of course you can leave, with our blessing." She stepped forward and hugged her.

"The hell she can!" Hank exclaimed, coming around the bar and pulling them apart, "Told ya, ya ain't goin' nowhere."

Emma Jane glared at him, "Mandy, can you give us a moment?"

"Of course," Mandy replied, relieved to be able to get away. She scurried towards the stairs and then hid in the shadows so she could hear what was said.

"Hank, you can't keep her here against her will."

"Ain't what I'm doin'. Just makin' sure she honours her contract."

"She's in love! She wants to be with Harry Burke!"

"Well, ya know that we can't always get what we want."

"We have the power to give her what she wants. Let her go, please."

"No."

"You know, you're not the only one who runs this saloon and technically, I look after the girls. If she wants to go, I say she can go."

"_I _run this place Emma Jane, not you!"

"What are you going to do? Tie her down?"

"Can call a marshal and get her arrested."

"Oh don't be so ridiculous!"

"Ain't bein' ridiculous, Emma Jane. Bein' realistic."

"No you're not, you're just being pig-headed." Emma Jane swept out of the room, bumping into Mandy in the process. She looked at the other woman sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Mandy…"

"It's all right," Mandy said downheartedly.

"I haven't given up," Emma Jane reassured her, "I promise we'll have you out of here and down the aisle before you know it."

SSSS

The folks at the Denver stagecoach stop had never seen anything like it. Four beautiful women, dressed up to the nines, standing giggling as they waited to get on board. Each one had on a different coloured heavy velvet dress and at least three bags each which the driver was currently attempting to get on top of the stage.

"Can you imagine? Dancing in a saloon?"

"I know! If the proprietress wasn't a personal friend of Mrs Hyatt's I would definitely have said no!"

"I can't even begin to imagine what a terrible place it must to be. To think, the roads won't even be paved!"

"Urgh – how dreadful!"

The driver turned to them, "All aboard ladies. Next stop, Colorado Springs!"

The four burst out laughing again. The oldest of the four composed herself and turned to the others. "Now girls, let's behave ourselves. We're going to show that terrible little town just what the Bluebirds are made of!"

SSSS

Emma Jane was brushing her hair in front of the mirror when there was a knock at the bedroom door. "Come in." The door opened and Mandy came into the room. "Mandy!"

"Sorry to bother ya," she said, "I just wanted to make sure that…well that Hank hadn't given ya any trouble since ya asked if he would let me leave."

"Oh, don't you worry about Hank," Emma Jane said, coming over and sitting on the bed beside her. "He'll come around. He's just worried about what's happening with the saloon."

"I know, I figured as much. Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. You're as entitled to your life as everyone else. If Harry loves you and wants to marry you, then I'm delighted for you and I'm going to make sure that you get to be with him."

Mandy giggled at the mention of her beau's name. "He really is the kindest, gentlest man I've ever met. I never knew that men could…could be like that. I've been givin' myself to 'em most of my life and…" she broke off, "well, I always wondered what it would be like to love one properly. I don't mean that…" she added quickly.

"I know," Emma Jane said, "You weren't implying anything improper."

Mandy smiled, "I want to be as happy as…well…as you and Hank are."

Emma Jane chuckled, "Oh, I'm not sure you want a marriage quite like ours."

"Why not?"

"Well, you know that things haven't always been good between Hank and I and…" she paused, "I know you've seen how he can be with me."

"But it doesn't happen very often," Mandy said, "Does it? And he loves you. He loves you like nobody else."

Emma Jane smiled, "I guess he does."

"Oh he does," Mandy reassured her, "He definitely does." She sighed, "I suppose I'd better get to bed."

Emma Jane hugged her, "And I promise I'll work on Hank." She watched as the other woman left, just as Hank came in. They eyeballed each other before Mandy scurried away.

"What she want?" he asked.

"Nothing," Emma Jane continued brushing her hair, "we were just talking."

"Hope ya got them fool ideas about her leavin' out of her head."

"No, of course not," she said, "I wouldn't dream of trying to separate a woman from the man she loved."

"Sure."

"She told me that she wants a marriage like ours."

He looked at her in the mirror, "Well, we do got the best."

"If you say so."

"Ya don't agree?"

She turned to face him, "I think you're being very selfish about Mandy. Yes, we have our problems and yes we need to make as much money as we can't, but that isn't Mandy's fault. It isn't Mandy's fault that you didn't make those repayments." She saw his jaw set. "I'm not retreading old ground, I'm just…" she rubbed her eyes, "I just want Mandy to be happy, don't you?"

Hank sat down on the bed, "Didn't answer my question. Ya don't agree we got the best marriage?"

"No," she said finally, "I don't agree. But I think we're getting there."

Hank looked at her for a long moment before standing and stepping towards her, taking her in his arms and kissing her. When they broke apart, he held her to his chest and stroked her hair. "Let's go to bed and see if we can get there."

Emma Jane looked up at him and smiled wanly. Come Friday they would know exactly how good their marriage was, and how strong.


End file.
